The Supreme Court expressed grave concern over the delays in issuing ration cards to eligible migrant workers.
A Bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah granted a final opportunity to the Central government, along with the States and Union Territories (UTs), to take the required actions by November 19.
The Court cautioned that if compliance is not achieved, it may summon the secretaries of the defaulting States for contempt of court.
"We have lost our patience, we are making it very clear that there will be no more indulgence," Justice Amanullah remarked.
The Bench was hearing a suo motu case concerning the welfare of migrant workers, initiated during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Intervenors in the case argued that the Union government has failed to comply with the Court's directions from a June 2021 judgment.
In that ruling, the Supreme Court had ordered the issuance of ration cards to migrant workers, recognizing their eligibility under the National Food Security Act.
The Court specifically directed the Union government to provide ration cards to migrant workers registered on the e-Shram portal, a centralized database for unorganized workers.
"We had made it clear that those remaining 8 crore ration cards based on those registered on e-Shram portal have to be issued. Is it done? Then we can proceed further," the Bench remarked today.
"States will have to respond and comply. It is a dynamic process," replied Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who represented the Central government.
The Union government explained that under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, which targets the poorest sections of society, only one ration card is issued per priority household. It argued that the failure to issue cards to other family members should not be considered contempt of the Court’s directions.
The Bench, while noting that this argument has some basis, made it clear that eligible migrant workers who have not yet received ration cards must be provided them without delay.
Justice Amanullah strongly criticized the authorities, questioning the Union’s commitment to addressing the needs of the most vulnerable. He remarked, "Is this the seriousness of the Union? This is about the poorest of the poor. If there is leakage, why can’t the Cabinet Secretary hold meetings? Because it is not important to them?"
The Court also expressed its dissatisfaction with the non-compliance of its March 19 order, which had instructed States and Union Territories to issue ration cards to nearly 8 crore migrant workers within two months. This directive came after it was observed that a previous order, issued a year earlier, was still not implemented.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, along with social activists Anjali Bhardwaj and Amrita Johri, appeared as intervenors in the case. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 19.
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